First no puppies, now no bikes either??

Indy "Nub" Guy said:

1988RedT2 said:

I think I have the answer...

Thank you

That looks like Woody's dog, is the Volvo not good enough anymore?

Placemotorsports said:

In reply to Hoondavan :

In comparison to a base Trek or Specialized which would be the better choice?  Seem to all be in the same price bucket

In the mid-range bike price bracket the offerings form the big names should be pretty similar, I think it's rider preference.  There are a bunch of youtube channels that will review bikes, which may help.  I suppose w/the choices being so limited you may just need to close your eyes and jump (as long as you find the right frame size).  One bike may have better wheels, a higher-level drivetrain, or a better fork, so compare the specs if you can. 

It's not always easy to compare most components, because most brands have their own brand for things like handlebars, etc.  Trek bought Bontrager back in the 90s, so seat posts, etc are all branded Bontrager.    Drivetrain is a little easier (Mostly Shimano & SRAM).  For Shimano they start w/ Acera and get more expensive from there.  Deore, XT, w/XTR being the top line.  Polygon bikes and bikesdirect will usually have higher-level components at the same price point as the name brands.  That's the benefit of selling direct w/no retail stores.

I wish it were easier to compare frames, wheels, and overall weight. Once you start paying attention to the details it's easy to start spending $$$.  For example, adding a better fork with a little more travel, better dampening and a lockout will cost a few extra bucks, but will be way cheaper than upgrading the fork down the road.  Hydraulic disc brakes may be a little more $$ than manual disc brakes, but should require less effort.  

We bought two new Pelican plastic kayaks last Thursday for my boys.  $138 with paddles and life jackets. The store had sold 5 semi trailers worth that WEEK!   As I was loading up the two we bought we watched 10 more get loaded up.